According to Bolton Council's Trading Standards Department, complaints were made that Marko Mini Market was selling illegal tobacco products, prompting a search. During an initial search on December 9, 2024, officers found an empty cardboard box that raised suspicions, but no illegal products were located. Officers returned on December 18, 2024, with a tobacco-sniffing dog that led them to a hidden fob under a shelf.
Pressing the fob released a magnet mechanism in a door, revealing illicit tobacco products inside. Officers seized 161 packets of counterfeit or non-duty cigarettes and 17 pouches of suspected counterfeit hand-rolling tobacco. A further test purchase of suspected Lambert and Butler cigarettes was made on August 13, 2025.
The shop's licence was reviewed by Bolton Council's licensing sub-committee on February 12, 2026. Andrew Bolan, the head of regulatory services, said 'the mere sophistication of the concealment' meant it could not be argued to be a 'one-off' and that the shop showed 'complete disregard' for UK law. Licensing officer Ben Brookfield said there had been 'ongoing reports' of illegal sales and the owner failed to engage with officers.
Mrs Shirin Azizi, the licence holder, did not attend the hearing, which the sub-committee said showed 'blatant disregard'. The sub-committee believed the shop would continue selling illicit tobacco if allowed to stay open and decided to revoke the premises licence.